This hour with an FI can be replaced by any successful test
That's what I was getting at.
If I fly say 150hrs in a year, the annual IR renewal should be usable as the PPL revalidation. The instructor I am most likely to do the IR renewal with can also do PPL initial skills tests, etc.
FWIW I've always had a UK/JAA PPL and a UK medical. But I let the 5 year admin renewal lapse because I didn't need it. I always kept up the medicals because I use an AME who does both at the same time. I then redid the PPL with an examiner.